(ROCKWALL, TX – Feb. 4, 2017) The Rockwall County Historical Foundation and Rockwall County Historical Commission present the Sheri Stodghill Lecture Series 2017. These programs are free and open to the public from noon to 1 p.m. (usually on the second Friday of the month) in the third floor courtroom at the Historic Downtown Rockwall Courthouse.

The schedule follows:

Friday, February 10

Legendary Texas Artist from Rockwall

Lee Herring

Come spend an hour with the Western artist who has numerous paintings on display at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.

Friday, March 10

Early 20th Century Transportation

Commissioner, David Magness

Learn the exciting beginning of Rockwall County’s transportation development from horse and buggy days on dirt roads to a more modern road system.

*Thursday, April 13

Zollner Hobo Ranch

Kay Brooks Aaron

The hobo ranch was once a thriving ranch in Blackland, which attracted hundreds of hobos from around the nation. Kay (whose grandparents owned and operated the ranch) will tell the history of the ranch and stories about everyday life on the ranch, and the hope its jobs gave to many during and after the depression.

Friday, May 12

How Did That Street Get its Name?

Mark Russo

Did you ever wonder how Hartman Street got its name? Did you know Alamo Street was first called Back Street? Come hear how many of the streets in Rockwall County were named.

(*Summer Break)

Friday, September 8

Pioneer Medicine

Dr. Robert Sparks

Snakebites and bullet wounds to broken arms and diseases, pioneer doctors had limited medicinesto helpthose living on the frontier. Dr. Sparks (whose father, grandmother, grandfather and great-grandfather were also doctors), will tell about the home remedies, the hardships and the medicines of pioneer doctors.

Friday, October 13

Talking Tombstones

Rockwall County’s history comes alive with stories of residents from the past.

*Thursday, November 9

Time Before Rockwall County

Patti Canup

Did you ever wonder what the land that is now Rockwall County was like before the white settlers, even before the Indians were here? Patti will take us back in time to understand “before Rockwall County.”

Friday, December 8

The Rock Wall Revisited

Updates about the history of the rock wall’s origin and stories about the rock wall.